


Sparring With a Princess

by Lord_of_Spirits_and_Bazongas



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 18:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16046294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lord_of_Spirits_and_Bazongas/pseuds/Lord_of_Spirits_and_Bazongas
Summary: Not wanting to be a burden on the rest of the group, Estelle decides to ask if Yuri would be up for a sparring match with her.





	Sparring With a Princess

The sound of swords and spears clashing up against one another echoed inside of Estelle’s head. Given how varied their interests were, it wasn’t exactly a surprise that when they had some downtime, each of them found their own ways to spend their free time. More often than not, they found ways to spend that time together, but at times they withdrew to comfortable solitude, much like now. Karol had gone off to the nearby woods in hopes of finding some rare bugs, while Raven was enjoying his nap. Rita, on the other hand, was nose deep in her books, as one would expect, while Repede enjoyed the warmth of a campfire right next to her. As for Judith and Yuri, the two had found a common interest in putting their skills in combat to test with one another.   
  
Estelle watched the two combatants swirling around one another, trying to find a weakness in their opponent’s movement. Neither of them could find an opening, as whenever one of them went for an attack, it was quickly dodged or parried. For Estelle though, fighting had never truly been enjoyable outside of the first few times she had been able to prove that she was able to defend herself. Given how for most of her life she had been seen as a damsel; an image even she had unknowingly started to believe; it’d been a positive surprise to realize that wasn’t the case.   
  
“Oh, it seems like our beloved princess has decided to join us,” Judith murmured, gesturing for Yuri to look at over her shoulder.   
  
When Yuri shifted his focus from his enemy to the woman behind her, he was quickly met with the end-piece of Judith’s spear hitting his side; effectively bringing him down to his knees.   
  
“That’s just playing dirty, you know?” Yuri smirked, even while gasping for his breath.   
  
“Maybe so,” The Krityan woman smirked in return as she offered to help Yuri back on his feet. After managing to pull himself together, he reached out to grab a hold of Judith’s hand to lift himself back up. “but I wasn’t really lying either. I wonder how someone like you got distracted so easily by simply mentioning her name…?” Judith pondered out loud while tapping her chin softly with her index finger.   
  
Yuri didn’t say anything in return, as he simply shook his head to dismiss such comments completely, but clearly the Krityan woman could read in between the lines. Knowing that it was perhaps best to give the two of them some time alone, Judith picked up her spear from before taking her leave, but not before tapping Estelle on her shoulder. “He’s all yours.~”   
  
Blinking, clearly slightly confused, Estelle turned her attention from Judith to the swordsman standing now in front of her. Yuri was sweaty and bruised, with some dirt on his face and shoulders thanks to the hit he had received. “Oh, let me get you healed up.”   
  
“There’s really no need for you to--,” Yuri tried to quickly protest, but Estelle wasn’t having it. Shushing Yuri by simply giving him a glare that told him that there was no use in trying to argue with her on this one, Yuri closed his eyes and let Estelle work her arte on him. Soon enough, the bruises started to vanish and the aching of his muscles disappeared with them.   
  
“Thanks for that,” Yuri mumbled while rubbing the back of his head. Despite everything they had been through already, somehow being dependent on others still didn’t fully sit with him just yet. Maybe it was his lone wolf nature of always relying on just himself and his trustworthy canine companion that had shaped him like this, but despite it, Yuri was now more willing to show his weakness, knowing he wouldn’t get ridiculed for it like he did when he wore knight’s armor. “You know, it’s still just as soothing as it was back when you first did it?” Yuri chuckled softly as he glanced at his hand, his fingers moving again perfectly, as if he hadn’t just been fighting at all.   
  
“I’m simply doing what I’m good at,” Estelle replied; a warm smile radiating on her face. If her artes were healing, then her smile was the cure to everything evil in this world. Yuri wanted to say something in return, but just looking at her made his throat dry up a bit. With Estelle’s fingertips still holding his other hand still. “For you, it’s fighting and for me it’s healing. Funny to think about it, but in that way we’re like two sides of a single coin, aren’t we?”   
  
“I’m not so sure about that,” Yuri replied. “I think when it comes to polar opposites like that, Flynn would be that for me, but you… well, there are things that make us different, I mean just look at your hair for example. Not saying that I wouldn’t look good in pink, but I think you have all of us beat when it comes to that,” Yuri chuckled.   
  
His little joke did get the results he had hoped for, as Estelle giggled at it. If her smile was enough to make his heart skip a beat or two, hearing her giggle like that was close to a miniature heart attack. Still, Yuri was able to stand up straight, despite the fact that for a short moment his knees felt a lot weaker. “You’d need to get a whole new set of clothes then. I’m not so sure how well pink and black would mix.”   
  
“Hey, don’t say when you haven’t tried,” Yuri teased Estelle back with a playful wink. His flirty comment seemed to initially go over Estelle’s shoulder, but after a moment a faint shade of red coated her cheeks.   
  
“There’s something that I’d like to ask of you,” Estelle said, finally letting go of Yuri’s hand. Taking a step back, she lifted up her head a bit. Not saying anything in return, Yuri simply gestured for Estelle to continue. “I’d like for you to train me.”   
  
Training against someone who was also eager and skilled in combat was fun, but sparring against Estelle would be problematic. Not that Yuri doubted her skills in combat, as he knew just as well as everyone else in their group that she was more than capable of defending herself. The problem lied with the fact that fighting against someone you cared about on a personal level was hard.   
  
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Yuri mumbled in response. Trying to avoid direct eye contact with the now huffing princess, Yuri continued to tilt his head left and right until he felt Estelle’s fingers tugging his chin, forcing him to tilt his head down a bit to look at her.   
  
“Yes. I know that I’ve learned a lot already when it comes to fighting, but you and Judith and the others still seem to be on a whole different level compared to me. The last thing I want to be is a burden.”   
  
Yuri wanted to say that she was anything but, but at the same time, he also knew that there was no use in arguing with Estelle once she had made up her mind. With a defeated sigh, Yuri reached out for his sword again, pulling it out of its sheath. “Okay, fine. But if it gets too rough, let me know, okay?”   
  
“Oh come on, Yuri,” Estelle smirked back at him, taking a few steps back to create some space between them. “I know you like it rough.”   
  
Truly she was everything Yuri loved in a woman; easy on the eyes, great personality, morals,values in life, and on top of that, knew how to flirt and tease back. “I suppose I can’t really deny that,” Yuri said, his lips curling up into a faint smirk. Taking a few steps back as well, he swirled the sword in his hand, waiting for their sparring match to start.   
  
Unlike his former opponent, Estelle’s approach to combat was a lot different. Where Judith was always on the offensive and therefore dictating the pace of the fight, Estelle was the polar opposite of that. She more or less stood still, keeping her shield up while eyeing Yuri’s movements like a hawk. Knowing that simply dashing would most likely end up with him getting bashed by her shield or hit by her mace, Yuri started to slowly shuffle around, trying to find the right moment to strike.   
  
Estelle, on the other hand, was comfortable with her position. She knew that when it came to the usual head to head combat, she didn’t stand a chance. However, being the smart cookie that she was, she knew that in order to win, she’d have to get Yuri to fight on her terms.

  
Yuri was used to fighting against more reckless opponents, but now, he found himself almost dumbfounded as to how he ought to proceed. Normally he’d be swinging his sword by now, but he found himself confused.   
  
Estelle was the one to make the first step out of their deadlock, as she started to slowly make her way towards Yuri. Realizing that she was still keeping up her tactic of not exposing herself too much, Yuri shuffled a step back whenever Estelle moved closer to him.   
  
“Oh, are you scared?” Estelle giggled, still continuing to shuffle her way closer to the swordsman.   
  
“Not exactly,” Yuri replied, his smirk only widening now that Estelle got into some mid match taunting. Usually when they were in combat, Estelle was the one who solely focused on the fight itself, with almost everyone else commenting on the flow of the fight or how others were doing. Yuri didn’t really know why she was stepping outside of her comfort zone now, but he didn’t have the luxury of giving it deeper thought either.   
  
As Yuri took another step back, he realized that he was not looking where he was headed. Given how it was already getting dark, it was a lot harder to see his surroundings, so not noticing the rock behind him wasn’t exactly that surprising, even for a skilled fighter like him. Trying to keep his balance, Yuri still ended up falling onto his back.   
  
Noticing the clear opening, Estelle took the chance that was presented. Charging at Yuri, Estelle leaped into air with her sword and shield held high.   
  
Or that was what she had hoped to happen.   
  
In reality, as she had decided to strike, she too fell onto a rock in the middle of it, resulting in her indeed leaping into the air, but not to strike Yuri down, but rather to fall on top of him. Luckily Yuri’s reflexes were quick enough to realize what was happening, so he quickly dropped his sword and put his hands high up in the air to catch the princess.   
  
With a hard thump, she fell on top of him.   
  
“That didn’t… exactly go as planned,” Estelle eventually broke the silence between them with a faint giggle.   
  
Joining to laugh with him, Yuri stood up, holding Estelle in the air bridal style before eventually putting her down. Watching her dust her dress clean, he nodded in agreement. “You can say that again. Maybe sparring in the dark isn’t exactly the brightest idea there is.”   
  
“Well, it’s not all bad though,” Estelle said as she picked up her sword and shield from the ground before gesturing for Yuri to follow her. “I’d say that I did learn something new today.”   
  
“Oh?” Yuri inquired, quickly walking alongside the pink haired princess. “And what might that be?”   
  
With her lips curling up into a smirk, Estelle stood on her tiptoes a bit to whisper something into Yuri’s ear: “That you like it rough.”   
  
If Yuri wasn’t certain about his feelings for Estelle before, he most certainly was now.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written as a part of Yustelle week event Day 5 Sword/Shield   
> ( http://herestotheroadahead.tumblr.com/ ).
> 
>  
> 
> You can also find me at tumblr http://lordofspiritsandbazongas.tumblr.com/ If you have ideas, suggestions, feedback, comment, anything like that, feel free to contact me.


End file.
